1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns waterside amusement rides wherein riders move downhill to a terminal run-out area containing a quantity of water intended to slow the riders by turbulence and fluid drag, particularly wherein the configuration is subdivided into lanes. According to an aspect of the invention, two or more run-out lanes are coupled by supplemental flow conduits that equalize the water level among the lanes.
2. Prior Art
Waterslide amusements are known, for example from U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,053,790; 5,779,553; 5,453,054; 5,230,662; 5,020,465; and 5,011,134, all to F. Langford. The disclosed waterslides have generally downhill gradients whereby the riders pick up speed over at least part of a course, leading eventually to an endpoint at a low elevation. The course is defined by a channel, tube or similar sluice structure having a bottom and lateral walls at least to the height of a curb and possibly higher. The sluice structure either carries a flow of water or provisions are made to keep the surfaces smooth and wet for low friction sliding. The riders might rest on mats or might be carried by flotation tubes. Sometimes the riders simply slide along on their skin and bathing suits.
The nature of particular waterslide amusements varies. There are relative higher and lower water volume rides. The linear velocity of the water and/or rider may be higher or lower. The riders may float on the water, be carried in the water or may slide over a wetted surface, depending on factors including the downhill gradient and length of the ride, the rate and manner in which water is inserted along the path, the use of curves and corresponding banking, interspersing of flat pooling areas, etc.
Waterslide amusements that enable riders to develop substantial linear velocity often are provided with structures that allow the riders to skim over a modest volume of water wetting the surfaces along the course and flowing down hill. To a limited extent, the rider can control his or her acceleration and speed, for example by applying drag and the course may be arranged specifically for faster and slower runs between the start and the finish. Generally, speed is advantageous. Other things being equal, the waterside designer often will choose structural options that build and maintain substantial linear speed. By providing a downhill gradient, at least near the end of the course, particularly a gradient structured so that acceleration by gravity exceeds friction, the riders can be accelerated right to a “finish” line in an exciting manner.
At the conclusion of the ride, the riders must be slowed to a stop. An apt and exciting way to stop or at least slow down riders moving at high speed can be to direct the riders into a pool. Preferably, the course directs fast moving riders at a low angle of incidence onto the surface of a pool. At the end of a course, such a pool is typically called the “splash down” pool. This pool is an accumulation of standing water or slow moving water that is sufficiently deep and is encountered by the rider for a sufficient time that the rider sinks progressively into the pool. The increasing rider depth changes the dynamics from skimming the surface to movement of the rider relative to the water in the pool. The resulting fluid drag halts the rider as the rider sinks into the pool. An exciting aspect of the experience is that entering the pool often produces a very substantial splash.
Waterslides advantageously are structured with parallel tracks such that plural riders starting at the same time can race or at least accompany one another down the slide at the same time. The parallel tracks are subdivided from one another by an intervening curb that keeps the riders from interfering with one another by colliding or otherwise making contact. The plural riders traversing the course at the same time are in danger of injury if they should collide in a splash down pool. Therefore, the curbs that subdivide the riders' tracks generally continue into the splash down zone, each rider having a separate pool between adjacent curbs.
A splash down pool need not be very deep, the necessary fluid drag being produced by a few inches of depth. Inasmuch as the splash down pool is the lowest elevation along the ride, the pool may provide the sump area at which water flowing down the course with the riders is collected to be pumped back to a higher elevation. The splash down pool may be arranged to overflow into yet a lower course, for example to overflow into a lower water course such as a “lazy river” that generally collects overflow to be pumped back to the beginning of various waterslide courses.
A splash down pool needs to accumulate water for fluid drag purposes. Assuming that the splash down pool also needs to overflow, a far end of the splash down pool needs to have a low rim or lip. Optionally, a splash down pool can become progressively shallower leading up to the overflow rim or lip. The change in the contour of the bottom approaching the end, such as a terminal ramp and/or lip, is necessary to retain a depth of water leading up to the end. Without a decrease in depth at the ramp or lip, the water would flow freely over the end instead of accumulating in a pool.
If the length and depth of a splash down pool are marginally sufficient to stop riders, then making the bottom of the splash down pool slope upwardly toward the surface in an ending ramp can provide a low impact surface that tends to catch some persons who have traversed the length of the splash down pool, perhaps more abruptly than fluid drag. A raise lip at the overflow end can also provide a form of obstruction. However, the shallower water lacks the fluid drag of deeper water. A rider who skims the surface of the splash down pool for a substantial distance may come up hard against such an end obstruction or ramp, or may be abraded by it.
These disadvantages are exacerbated if a very large person precedes another rider down the same waterslide lane, the large person can splash a large part of the water out of the splash down zone between the curbs corresponding to that lane. The large person likewise may sweep a quantity of the water over the end overflow. Although the large person may not be affected adversely, less water remains in the splash down zone of that lane to slow down the next person. The next rider may tend to skim farther and faster along the splash down zone or may slide up against or onto a an end part of the terminal ramp.
Waterslide riders vary widely in age, weight and stature, and advantageously, all riders should be equally accommodated. Substantial attention is paid in designing waterslides to plan for riders over a range of sizes. Thus, for example, a minimum water depth is calculated for fluid drag. The run-out lane length is calculated to be at least sufficient for the fastest expected rider. Such planning and calculations, however, depend on certain conditions, such as having a nominal amount of water in the run-out lane. Although continuing arrival of gushes or flows of water can replenish water removed from the run-out lane, it would be advantageous if the presence of sufficient water to meet design constraints could be reasonably expected.